'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a
creature was stirring... except for that trusty computer mouse.
This holiday season, more and more people are forgoing crowded
malls and going online to find the perfect gift for that special
someone on their list. Online shopping is expected to exceed $19
billion this holiday season according to the tracking firm, com
Score Networks. That's a 24 percent increase from last year.
With the help of that little mouse, I bring you the ultimate his
and her gift giving guide to online shopping.

Ladies, shopping for the man in your life can be a lot like
pretending you like to fish...painful. The clothes you think
your guy should wear aren't always the same as what he will
wear, and experience tells us to steer clear of fuzzy socks and
holiday ties. But, there is one thing almost all men love
...sports. Most guys have at least one team they pledge
allegiance to year after year, through wins, losses, and the
occasional curse, and the holidays are the best time to show
them you've noticed.

There are plenty of online sites catering to the sports nut in
your life offering apparel, memorabilia, and collectibles as
gift ideas. But, there's one site that is the mother of online
sports outlets. Sports nostalgia company, Mitchell &
Ness, is the ultimate gift center for extreme sports fans.

Mitchell
& Ness is the leader in authentic vintage sportswear,
offering throwback jerseys, jackets and merchandise from NFL,
MLB, NBA and NHL teams. The fact that you are willing to indulge
his team loyalty will automatically score you points, but going
all out on an authentic 1951 Mickey Mantle throwback jersey for
the absolute Yankee fan in your life, is a hard gift to beat.
And, in the off chance that you weren't paying attention to who
your man was rooting for all these years, Mitchell &
Ness has gift cards.

Now, onto the women, take notes guys. You can never really go
wrong with jewelry. For a long time, the saying was "diamonds
are a girl's best friend," but over the years women's tastes and
style have diversified. Jewels, precious metals and rare items
such as pearls are all must-have accessories. http://www.pearlvalue.com target="_new">International Pearl
Syndicate has bracelets, necklaces, rings and earrings in a
variety of styles and sizes. There are freshwater and cultured
pearls, black pearls, Tahitian pearls, and pearls from the South
Sea. International">http://www.pearlvalue.com
target="_new">International Pearl Syndicate also explains
the process of buying pearls, and how to tell the good from the
not so good.

Of course not everyone on your list falls into the obsessed
sports fan or jewelry junkie category. But for those who prefer
sparkles and sports, these sites offer the ultimate gifts
without stalking for a parking spot. It could be the most
relaxing holiday shopping you've ever done.

About the author:

Nina Nocciolino is a copywriter with DMI Partners, an
interactive marketing agency specializing in higher education,
finance, retail and real estate. For more information, visit www.dmipartners.com.